The Daily

A Crisis of Ethics at the Supreme Court

May 8, 2023

Adam Liptak, Supreme Court correspondent for The New York Times, dives into the escalating concerns over ethics within the Supreme Court. He discusses the explosive allegations surrounding Justice Clarence Thomas and his undisclosed connections to billionaire donors. Liptak emphasizes the need for accountability and possible new ethics rules to restore public trust. The dialogue also touches on the judiciary's self-regulation challenges and the complexities of implementing an effective code of conduct in light of political pressures.

33:52

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Episode guests

Adam Liptak

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Episode notes

Intro

2min

Ethics on the Bench: The Clarence Thomas Controversy

16min

Ethics and Accountability in the Supreme Court

2min

Evaluating Enforcement Mechanisms for Supreme Court Ethics

3min

Judicial Independence and Ethical Oversight

9min

Ethics in the Supreme Court and the Coronation of King Charles III

4min

Debate about ethical standards for Supreme Court justices has intensified after a series of revelations about undisclosed gifts, luxury travel and property deals.

Adam Liptak, who covers the court for The Times, reviews the allegations of misconduct and the growing calls to do something about it.

Guest: Adam Liptak, a correspondent covering the United States Supreme Court for The New York Times.

Background reading:

Revelations about Justice Clarence Thomas’s failure to disclose largess from a Republican donor have highlighted a dilemma.
In written testimony sent to the Senate Judiciary Committee, the retired conservative judge J. Michael Luttig called for new ethics rules for Supreme Court justices.

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